If you are a new streamer just starting out, or you've been a small streamer for some time and are now looking to grow your stream, it is vital that you strategically decide which games you stream. Obviously, you want to stream your favourite games, but unfortunately, this will not always result in the growth of your channel. This is why it is important to do research and be strategic before deciding which game to live stream on Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, or any other streaming platform.
Below, we will suggest some great games for new and small streamers that can help build your audience, but first, let's take a quick look at the strategy that helped us arrive at these choices.
THE STRATEGY
In general, if you are a new or small streamer, you want to avoid the most popular games on Twitch and YouTube (that have the highest viewer rates). You will not be able to compete in a category that has thousands of established streamers streaming at any given time.
Instead, look for games that are trending and growing in popularity, and ride the new wave of viewers that are watching these games. Viewers will be curious about these games and the hype surrounding them, and especially with newer games where there are no established streamers, it is a great opportunity to capitalize on the public's curiosity as they hop from stream to stream, checking out the game.
Alternatively, you can play more niche games that have less overall viewers but also less competition. If you can find ways to stand out, you will be able to attract a higher percentage of the the viewers in the niche (compared to a more popular game), which will help you grow your following.
There are resources, such as https://twitchstrike.com or https://sullygnome.com/games that can help you analyze and decide what the best games to play are. These sites provide real time statistics about which games are being played and how many viewers there are.
Read more about strategies to help you decide which game to stream in our recent blog post here.
THE GAMES
Here are some of the top games for new or small streamers to stream in 2023, taking into account the above strategy:
Honkai: Star Rail (released April 2023)
Hoyoverse is the creator of Genshin Impact, one of the biggest and most popular games in the world (it has been smashing records for the revenues it brings in, and also the game's insane development cost). They have now released Honkai: Star Rail, and it already has a huge following on Twitch and YouTube. We expect this game to have a loyal following over the next few years as Hoyoverse likes to constantly add new content to its games.
The Legend of Zelda (Tears of the Kingdom releases May 2023)
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular video game series of all time. With Tears of the Kingdom being launched early May (and it being one of the most anticipated games of 2023), we predict that all Zelda games will experience a new wave of popularity, as new and old fans alike are re-introduced to the franchise. We recommend choosing newer releases, such as Breath of the Wild, which always have a decent number of viewers.
Dead by Daylight
Despite being released in 2016, this horror survival game has never wavered in popularity. Each match (or "trial") features one killer whose goal is to deter four survivors from escaping. The developers are constantly adding fun new characters / skins into the game, allowing you to play Dead by Daylight as your favourite characters from movies or shows such as Halloween, Saw, The Ring, Attack on Titan, and more.
Phasmophobia
In this co-op ghost hunting game, players work together to investigate paranormal activity. With routine jump scares and lots of collaboration required, this horror game remains popular for people who like to play games with friends or their viewers. With a lot of RNG built into the game, each round unfolds differently, so viewers never get bored. Popular streamers, such as Shroud, have played Phasmophobia, which picks up in popularity every year around Halloween time.
Jackbox Party Packs
The most interactive game on this list, Jackbox Party Packs is a set of short party games that can be played with friends or your viewers. New packs are released every year and each pack consists of a few different mini games that are fun and intuitive to play. With little to no learning curve, everyone can join in on the fun, and there is even Twitch integration. If you like to engage with your audience with casual gameplay, be sure to check out Jackbox Party Packs. Be mindful, however, that the popularity for this game comes in waves. There can be a few months of downtime, especially in between releases of the party packs. This means you will have to spend a bit more time networking and promoting your channel in order to build your audience. Jackbox Party Pack 10 releases in fall of 2023, so we expect the game to surge in popularity around that time.
The Elder Scrolls (The more recent releases)
Since is initial release decades ago, the Elder Scrolls series continues to remain a popular choice for gamers who enjoy huge open worlds. Many individual games within the series have won "Game of the Year" awards, which includes Skyrim. The legendary developer is releasing a separate game called Starfield later this year, which is described as "Skyrim in Space" and we predict this release will bring back attention to the Elder Scrolls games. Elder Scrolls VI is also set to release in the next few years, so we know that the series will continue to remain popular moving forwards.
Stardew Valley
A casual farming game with a loyal following, Stardew Valley always has a few thousand viewers tuned in. This is a great game that doesn't require you to do anything specific to win. You can play how you want to, and creative gameplay and an enthusiastic on-stream personality can help set yourself apart from competing channels / streamers. While the game is waning in popularity, it has a great ratio of viewers to total live channels, meaning that you have a better chance of attracting viewers to your channel (due to less competition. Also the developer of the game has a new release coming in the next year or two, called Haunted Chocolatier, so establishing yourself in this niche will put you in a great position when that game eventually releases.